Tablescape Thursday: 4th of July Table

We've been having some beautiful weather this week; blue skies,sun, barely any wind (just the lightest of breezes occasionally) and temperatures in the high 70s, low 80s. Not too hot or humid and not too cool.......it's just right! I've been able to just open the windows in the house and enjoy the fresh air.

 I am also on vacation this week from my job; I always have one week of vacation in summer and I always look forward to it. Without getting too much into my "real life" (ha ha, as opposed to my "blog life", because let's face it, my blog life is much more fun !), I don't get to choose when my vacation is; I get my vacation when my boss takes his vacation.  Erik and I could probably plan to take a vacation trip or something during my time off, but in the real world, we have to keep to a somewhat tight budget and vacations are not in that budget.

But, I digress!!!! It's Thursday and I spent one of my vacation days happily setting up a Fourth of July tablescape for Tablescape Thursday. I probably should have had the post all ready to go yesterday, but I spent yesterday lounging poolside at my Mom's house, swimming and sunning!

Be sure to check in with Susan at Between Naps on the Porch and see all the other fabulous tables....I can hardly wait to look at them all!

Independence Day, commonly called the Fourth of July, celebrates the separation of the American colonies from Britian and the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. The legal separation actually occurred on July 2, 1776, when the Second Continental Congress voted to approve the resolution of independence.

The Declaration, whose principal author was Thomas Jefferson, was debated, revised slightly and approved on July 4th, 1776 and this date was shown on the Declaration of Independence, copies of which were widely publicized, which led to Americans celebrating Independence Day on the 4th instead of the 2nd of July, when the resolution had actually been passed. Most Americans also think that the Declaration was signed by everyone in Congress on July 4th itself, when in fact, most of the delegates did not sign it until August 2, 1776.

A white birthday cake, bedecked with flags seemed an appropriate centerpiece for the table.

I looked for things in the house that I already owned to put together a red, white and blue table. My Goodwill $5 tablecloth worked well under my vintage linen hemstitch place mats. I used my blue Spode transferware dishes and some other inexpensive plates also.

I used my white hotel linen monogram table runner down the center of the table and used the matching napkins. This napkin fold is called the "Rugby". I used a silver napkin ring, with a stars and stripes ribbon tied over the top.

I used some of my tins to make a red, white and blue vignette in the middle of the table. I liked that not only were the colors appropriate, but the subject matter seemed very 'American' to me.

I had two of these cute tin buckets. I lined them with white paper doilies and filled them with crunchy sesame breadsticks.

This little hobnail milk glass footed bowl I bought from Goodwill holds some individually wrapped buttercream mints; a nice after-dinner treat!

Even my ugly chandelier got some decorations; I bought these hanging stars at Michael's for about $2.

The flag banner I made adds a nice festive touch to the dining room. I had fun using formal/fancy pieces with casual pieces.

The "plate stack"......Spode blue transferware on the bottom, .49 cent Goodwill red and blue plate, red star-shaped appetizer plate, and blue-flowered bowl ($1).

A Ball canning jar with a patriotic ribbon makes a useful caddy for serving utensils.

A bird's eye view of the cover......

And of the table...............

A woven basket holds buns. I lined the basket with a blue bandanna and an extra napkin.

Have a safe and happy 4th of July celebration!
Thanks for stopping by!